https://nzcatholic.org.nz/2018/11/10/wgtn-priests-fast-and-pray-for-day-following-popes-call/ The New Zealand National Catholic Newspaper Thu, 22 Nov 2018 09:54:20 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://nzcatholic.org.nz/2018/11/10/wgtn-priests-fast-and-pray-for-day-following-popes-call/#comment-22306 Thu, 22 Nov 2018 09:54:20 +0000 https://nzcatholic.org.nz/?p=18826#comment-22306 Example.
Lead by example.
One Christian brother woke early around 3 a.m. and went to the chapel for private adoration, until breakfast.
Of course, he had no time to watch TV, but that didn’t bother him at all.
In fact, at one stage he took up from his class some stats on TV, and one lad admitted he watched 45 hours per week.
He was years before his time and the trend toward pornography.
By focussing on the Christocentric, Eucharist takes first place.
This happens with private adoration.
Fasting stops wars; it can even suspend the natural law.
“This kind can only be removed by prayer and fasting”, words of Jesus to his apostles who had trouble casting out a particular demon.
Priesthood does the flock a great service by re-introducing the Christocentric and asserting this aspect of spiritual life.
Bishop Fulton Sheehan always did one hour of private adoration before addressing the public nationwide on TV. He knew the dangers of TV, and what to do to offset these.
Sr Briege McKenna OSC also spends two hours private adoration each day.
Many saints fasted.
St Benedict fasted for three years, eating only bread and water.
St Joseph of Cupertino ate only on Thursdays and Sundays. He levitated over seventy times.
Priesthood needs our support and our prayers.
We need to approach priesthood by first saying our prayers, fasting, and reading our bibles, and saying our rosaries.
That’s much better than dumping emotional problems on them, not to mention our sinfulness.

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